One real and one factitiousrr role model. The fictitious one was nancy drew. [laughter] today after the inauguration they marched on the streets of america and the buyer is an expression of fear and anxiety wielding the enormous power with the intellectual capacity walking the halls so soon after your retirement. I would also like to welcome back your wife and my good friend marcia and i want to thank her for your support and willingness to share y. Nown both [inaudible conversations] as a call the hearing to order looking at of nominee director of National Intelligence, uh Trump Nominee congratulations. Welcome back i am sure you did not expect to walk down these also soon after your retirement. But thanks for your wife support to share you with the rest of the country. I have seen firsthand the relationship the iso thoughtfully describe. Simply put its essential to congress to authorize these authorities to help keep the country safe while protecting our constitutional rights. I look
[indiscernible conversation] i call this hearing to order. I would like to welcome our witness. Besident trumps nominee to the next director of National Intelligence. Dan, congratulations on your nomination. Welcome back. I am sure you did not expect to be welcomed back to these holes so soon after your retirement. I would also like to welcome back your wife and my good friend, marcia, and i would like to thank her for sharing you with the rest of us. Ive known both of you for many years and seen firsthand the strength of your relationship that you so thoughtfully described in your statement for the record. Our goal in this hearing is to direct the committee to consider tor coates for the consider him for the nomination. He is already responded to more than 100 questions. Today, of course, members will be able to ask additional questions in both open and closed sessions. Withoats comes to us Honorable Service in the house, the senate, and as an ambassador. Those of us who have had the
Heres a portion of his confirmation hearing from january. The attorney general of the United States is of course, the nations chief Law Enforcement officer. He or she is not the president s theer, no rr is he president s wingmen, as the attorney general described himself. Rather, he or she has an independent obligation to the constitution and to the American People. I know you care deeply about this foundational principle. So, i am going to ask you a question. I have heard you ask other nominees for attorney general. Occasionally he will be called upon to offer an opinion to the president who appointed you. You will have to tell him, yes or no. And sometimes, president s dont like to be told no. So, i would like to know, will you be able to stand up and say no to the president of the United States if in your judgment, the law and your duty demands it . I ask that because i know you work very hard for the president elect. Mr. Chairman, i understand the importance of your question. I und
Heres a portion of his confirmation hearing from january. The attorney general of the United States is of course, the nations chief Law Enforcement officer. He or she is not the president s theer, no rr is he president s wingmen, as the attorney general described himself. Rather, he or she has an independent obligation to the constitution and to the American People. I know you care deeply about this foundational principle. So, i am going to ask you a question. I have heard you ask other nominees for attorney general. Occasionally he will be called upon to offer an opinion to the president who appointed you. You will have to tell him, yes or no. And sometimes, president s dont like to be told no. So, i would like to know, will you be able to stand up and say no to the president of the United States if in your judgment, the law and your duty demands it . I ask that because i know you work very hard for the president elect. Mr. Chairman, i understand the importance of your question. I und
Mr. Thornberry mr. Speaker, i want to start by thanking the 63 members of the Armed Services committee, not only for all of their work in putting this bill together but for the seriousness with which they take our duties under the constitution to help provide for the common defense. Our members dont always agree, but were able to work our way through our differences most of the time and think about the larger cause. You might say we sacrifice some of our individual differences or preferences in order to support the men and women who sacrifice so much for us. And i want to thank all the members of the house. Weve had a lot of members over the last two days who have come down to the floor and talked about their amendments. Who have and all of those amendments have helped make this bill a better bill. And thats the way that for 54 straight years congresses of majorities of both parties and president s of both parties have defense bill, a last year was a little iffy but its happened. There